Mega Man Legends 2

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The little blue master blaster is back in a decent 3D adventure/action/RPG fest. Are you ready?

By Adam Cleveland

MegaMan has been in more games than just about anybody else. Over the years, gamers have come to expect the Blue Bomber to be restricted in a 2D environment. Last year, Capcom turned things around. To some, it was for the better. To others, they'd rather not even mutter the name "Mega Man Legends." You've got to admit, if you've been a gamer since the days of the NES, the original Mega Man series has a place in your heart. It does in mine. So what's with this new three-dimensional stuff? It's hard to accept that just about every popular video game in yesteryear's past is being reincarnated to please a new audience, the kind that gobbles up games just because the 3D graphics are purdy.

To that, I cry "blasphemy!" Old games have the style of fun newer ones just can't reproduce. And you little men and women with your "Metal Gear Solids" and your "Castlevania: Symphony of the Nights," who haven't played the games that started it all, seriously need to go to Funco Land and buy the original Nintendo and rediscover just what gaming is all about. Even if 2D gaming is king, that doesn't mean that today's sequels fall flat on their faces. Mega Man Legends 2, for example, is an incredibly fun game. If there's one company that can successfully bring its old games to life again on next-gen consoles, it's Capcom.

Gameplay The Mega Man Legends series has Mega Man like you've never seen him before. He's still blue and he's got a big-@ss gun on his arm, but you've never seen him in a game like this. Whereas Mega Man X illustrated our hero as a more mature, meaner robot in a world filled with chaos and dark reploids, the Legends games go back to an earth filled with cute and happy creatures. All's not well, though. Mixed in with the serenity are loads of nuisances, and someone's got to set things straight. Who better than Mega Man?

Mega Man Legends 2 takes place not long after the first game ended. Von Bluecher and the Professor hold a press conference detailing their quest to retrieve the "Mother Lode" in a very long introduction. During this, many characters are introduced. Mega Man and his supporting character, Roll, make their debut here. According to Bluecher, he's going to navigate his ship, the Sulphur-Bottom, through a terrible storm to explore the Forbidden Island, where few have treaded before. A woman who is disguised as a reporter (and who curiously looks like Roll's mother), gives Bluecher and the Professor a warning, which they disobey. She doesn't take this lightly, and tries to put a stop to them herself. Mega Man follows in after Bluecher, where the adventure begins. You quickly get caught up in the search for the Mother Lode, and you and Roll do all you can to obtain it. The Mother Lode, which almost everyone wants, is something that nobody really understands. To many, it's something that will help make their dreams come true. Everyone has his or her own definition for this treasure of all treasures.

Those of you familiar with the first Legends know that pre-rendered movies are out of the question here. The story sequences don't need video to get the job done; the rendered graphics work perfectly. Facial expressions change and mouths move, fitting the game with a very anime feel. It's really impressive! I lost myself in the cutscenes several times and swore I was watching a cartoon. The camera angles are right on, and the subtle details, like rotating fan blades or camera flashes, help immerse you in the world before your eyes. These guys worked hard to make the scenes great.

The name Mega Man is known for two things: lots of blasting and tremendous bosses. No disappointments here! The bosses are absolutely gargantuan and pose a greater threat than any other enemies you encounter. Back in the day, bosses were restricted to moving from left and right to up and down. Now that they can do just about anything they please, you have to incorporate a little strategy in your plan of attack. Some bosses are very simple. You can lock onto them and circle around, shooting endlessly until all of their strength has been depleted. Others aren't so easy. They'll fire lasers and other rapid bullets to knock you down. No matter how difficult the boss is, it's fun to play. The battles are intense and drag in every ounce of attention you've got.

Mega Man Legends 2 is a mix of action and RPG. Those of you who have played The Legend of the Mystical Ninja on Nintendo 64 will find several comparisons, although Legends is much, much deeper. There are towns where you can explore and talk to inhabitants, who will give you mostly useless information. With towns come shops. Here, you can spend your hard-earned Zenny on upgrades for your armor, helmet, boots, and arm cannon. You can also purchase knicknacks like toilet cleaners, and you can buy parts Roll can use to make new weapons.

While the RPG elements are minute, the action is all over the place. There are basically two different kinds of stages you face. The first kind, for example, has you repelling an attack on a town or saving a 'damsel' in distress. In these, you have to destroy all the enemies on screen or protect someone or something from harm. The second kind of stage is a dungeon. These are similar to those in the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, though they are a little less deep and not as heavy on puzzles. There are bosses, mini-bosses, treasure chests, and tons of enemies. Four particular dungeons must be explored so that you can retrieve the keys, which are used to unlock the Mother Lode.

Like Ocarina of Time, Mega Man can get a map and compass-like upgrade when he is in a dungeon, although there is no special item for him to collect. Gameplay is similar in other ways as well. The lock-on feature is very useful, and is a must for defeating certain enemies. You can circle your foes while you're locked on and blast at them with your arm cannon. It's a useful way to avoid attacks while you, yourself, dish out damage. Some enemies are keen to your targetting system and will strike at will.

You don't get new weapons whenever you beat a new boss, unlike old Mega Man games. Instead, you have to build your weapons with parts you can find and buy. Roll, the brains of the operation, will put together anything you need if you have the right combination of items. The missile launcher is one of the first weapons you can assemble, and is very useful in taking out major enemies early in the game. Your basic arm cannon will do the trick, but it's not as powerful as the things you can make. Search every location you can. You find hidden parts in the strangest of places.

Data, your simian cohort, pops up now and then to offer you aid, usually in towns and before bosses. When you talk to Data, you can have your health restored and save your game. Trust me, when you see the crazy monkey, save your game. I had no idea that I was about to be attacked by Tron, a character from the previous Legends game, and I was defeated without having saved for a while. You don't have lives in this game, so it's a one shot deal. If you die, it's game over.

Mega Man Legends 2 controls very awkwardly in comparison to other 3D games. The camera angles are quirky, so you have to constantly pan around with the L1 and R1 buttons as you walk. Manipulating the blue bomber is almost mechanical. He steps forward, back, and strafes to the sides, always facing forward. This can be both a curse and a blessing. It's bad in dungeons and towns, because you have to shift the camera around wherever you go. It's useful when fighting enemies, because you can unload plasma and rarely miss. This, when combined with the lock-on targeting is a deadly duo. Moving around has a bit of a learning curve, but it's worth it in the end. This game is too cool.

Worlds are divided up into locations that are displayed on a main map. You fly to each, land, then explore the new territory. Some regions are snowy, others are grassy, and others are surrounded by ocean. Each has its own distinct appearance. In each of these places, you generally have one, if not several, objectives. On Nino Island, you arrive in hopes of retrieving the key which lies in the town's ruins, but you get side-tracked almost immediately. Pirates (bird-like creatures) are attacking in droves, trying to get the key before you can. The town's Guildmaster requests your help, and you take the attackers down after several battles. Before you can enter the ruins still, you have to storm the pirates' fortress and destroy, destroy, destroy. It's a lot of fun.

Many questions lie to be answered in Mega Man Legends 2. "Who is the woman that looks like Roll's mother?" "What does Von Bluecher intend to do with the Mother Lode once he has it?" "How far will Tron go to make Mega Man hers?" The more you play, the more questions there are left to be answered. It seems like there are more bad guys than there are good guys, but that's what makes Mega Man Legends 2 such a blast to play. Those of you who craved more adventure out of the first Legends will get some of what you asked for here. Unfortunately, the game shouldn't take you more than a weekend to play through. That's more than any other Mega Man game can claim, so this one does Capcom proud. I'll probably play this one through two or three times before I get tired of it. It's that good.

Graphics I am extremely impressed! In the screenshots I saw before I played Mega Man Legends 2, I was skeptical. Once I saw the long introduction, I was immediately turned around. The real-time graphics are sweet, smooth, and nearly flawless. Capcom aimed to portray a cute anime world, and struck gold in the process. The animation, during the cutscenes especially, is superb. If this game were made on Playstation 2, you would swear it's not a video game at all.

The graphic details bring Mega Man Legends 2 to life. Snow drifts, roaming pigs (Screw the chickens. Pig-throwing is where it's at!), and other minor details are just some of the things which make this a joy to play. The details that blatantly stand out are even better. Laser beams, distortion ripples, huge explosions, and fabulous level designs rock the house. The bosses you go up against are some of the most creative I've seen so far.

Sound Wow. Although the music is very good, the sound effects and voice acting are excellent. Minor door creaks and the 'sploik' noise Mega Man gives off when he walks are nice, but the behemoth explosions and massive clunks are what's cool. The voice actors are, by far, some of the best I've heard in a video game. Mega Man, like most male anime heroes these days, sounds a bit girlish, but I'm not one to complain. The male and female voices sound very enthusiastic. I felt like I was playing a cartoon the whole time. Somebody over at Capcom knows how to pick real talent! The music is enjoyable and done well. It's not the kind that gets stuck in your head unless you hammer it in , but it serves as a nice backdrop for whatever you're doing.

The Verdict

I've been a fan of Mega Man for the longest time. I'm not as big of one as others I know, but I love the little guy, and it's great to see that he's progressed so well through the years. Now that he's been brought to the third dimension, there is a lot more he can do. Some may be disgruntled with that fact; if you're a hardcore 2D gamer, you're set in your ways. But for me, I'm as giddy as a little girl. Mega Man Legends 2 is by far the most involving game I've seen with Mega Man, and is one of the best, too. This will make a fine addition to your gaming library, no matter who you are.